Biometric Authentication: The use of biological or behavioral characteristics

Biometric Authentication: The use of biological or behavioral characteristics to verify the identity of a user and grant access to a system or service

Biometric authentication is a security procedure that involves the use of unique biological or behavioral characteristics of individuals, such as fingerprints, face, voice, or iris, to verify that they are who they claim to be. This process is used to control access to physical and digital resources, such as buildings, rooms, and devices¹.

How does biometric authentication work?

Biometric authentication works by comparing two sets of data: the first one is preset by the owner of the device or the system, while the second one belongs to a visitor or a user who wants to access it. If the two data sets are nearly identical, the device or the system recognizes that the visitor or the user is the same as the owner, and grants access to them².

The important thing to note is that the match between the two data sets has to be nearly identical but not exactly identical. This is because it is very difficult for two biometric data sets to match 100%. For instance, a finger might have a slight cut or a scar that changes the print pattern. Designing the process so that it does not require an exact match reduces the chance of a false negative (the device or the system does not recognize the owner) but also increases the risk that a fake biometric data set might be considered genuine¹.

What are the types of biometric authentication methods?

There are many types of biometric authentication methods that use different kinds of human features. Some of the most popular ones are:

Fingerprint scanners: These devices capture an image of a finger and identify the unique pattern of ridges and valleys on its surface. There are three types of fingerprint scanners: optical, capacitive, and ultrasound. An optical scanner takes a photo of the finger, a capacitive scanner measures the electrical conductivity of the finger, and an ultrasound scanner uses sound waves to create a 3D image of the finger¹.
Facial recognition: This technology analyzes the geometry of the face, such as the distance between the eyes, nose, and chin, and creates a digital model for facial data. Facial recognition can use different methods to capture and compare facial images, such as 2D, 3D, infrared, or video².
Voice recognition: This method uses the sound waves produced by a person’s voice to create a unique voiceprint. Voice recognition can analyze different aspects of voice, such as pitch, tone, cadence, and accent².
Iris recognition: This technique scans the colored ring around the pupil of the eye and identifies its distinctive pattern. Iris recognition uses infrared light to illuminate the eye and capture a high-resolution image of the iris².

Other types of biometric authentication methods include hand geometry, palm vein, retina scan, signature recognition, keystroke dynamics, gait analysis, and behavioral biometrics³.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of biometric authentication?

Biometric authentication has many advantages and disadvantages compared to other forms of authentication, such as passwords or tokens. Some of them are:

Advantages

Convenience: Biometric authentication does not require users to remember or carry anything with them. They can simply use their own body parts to access devices or systems¹.
Security: Biometric authentication is based on unique and hard-to-replicate features of individuals. It is more difficult for attackers to steal or spoof biometric data than passwords or tokens¹.
Accuracy: Biometric authentication can reduce the chances of false positives (granting access to unauthorized users) and false negatives (denying access to authorized users) by using sophisticated algorithms and sensors¹.

Disadvantages

Cost: Biometric authentication requires specialized hardware and software to capture and process biometric data. It can be expensive to implement and maintain biometric systems compared to other forms of authentication¹.
Privacy: Biometric authentication involves collecting and storing sensitive personal information that can reveal a lot about an individual’s identity, health, ethnicity, etc. It can raise ethical and legal concerns about how this information is used, shared, and protected¹.
Acceptance: Biometric authentication can face social and cultural barriers from users who may not trust or feel comfortable with using their biometric features for authentication purposes. Some users may also have physical or medical conditions that prevent them from using certain biometric methods¹.

What are some use cases of biometric authentication?

Biometric authentication has many applications in various domains and industries, such as:

Banking and finance: Biometric authentication can be used to secure transactions, verify customers, and prevent fraud. For example, some banks use fingerprint or facial recognition to allow customers to access their accounts or make payments through mobile apps or ATMs².
Healthcare: Biometric authentication can be used to protect patient records, monitor health conditions, and provide personalized care. For example, some hospitals use iris or palm vein recognition to identify patients and access their medical history or prescriptions².
Law enforcement and security: Biometric authentication can be used to identify suspects, criminals, or terrorists, and enhance public safety. For example, some airports use facial or iris recognition to verify travelers and control border access².
Education and entertainment: Biometric authentication can be used to create interactive and immersive experiences for learners and gamers. For example, some schools use voice or facial recognition to track attendance and engagement of students, while some games use gesture or eye tracking to control the gameplay².

Conclusion

Biometric authentication is a security procedure that uses biological or behavioral characteristics of individuals to verify their identity and grant them access to devices or systems. It has many advantages, such as convenience, security, and accuracy, but also some disadvantages, such as cost, privacy, and acceptance. It has many applications in various domains and industries, such as banking, healthcare, law enforcement, education, and entertainment.